October 23, 2019October 25, 2019 3min readBy Zheel Patel
Hello everyone, I’m back from my long hiatus after having my second baby boy, we are both doing well! While I was recovering and taking all the preciousness all in, I really missed being in the kitchen. With Diwali being right around the corner I had to get back in! So here I am!
I present to you Tutti Frutti tres leches cupcakes. Tutti Frutti brings me right back to my childhood. I grew up in India until I was about 11 years old. I remember going to a bakery in India and getting tutti frutti bread or my dad getting me Tutti Frutti paan. I thought why not create something with it for Diwali as an ode to my childhood.
These cupcakes are super delicious and moist (I can’t believe I’m using that word, because I DESPISE that word). Also, it would be really fun to get your kids involved in making these. My older son (Ahaan) helped me sprinkle on the tutti frutti on top and it brought me back to my childhood. I hope you will create beautiful memories with your family making and eating these. I’m wishing you all a VERY happy and healthy Diwali. I hope it’s filled with lots of love, family, and FOOD!
Follow the directions on the box to make the batter. Once the batter is done fold in 1 cup of tutti frutti.
Pour batter evenly into the lined cupcake pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes. Cool the cupcakes on a wire rack.
Blend together condensed milk, evaporated milk, and coconut milk. Set aside until ready to use.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, with a skewer poke holes in the cupcake. Spoon in about 2-3 tablespoons of milk mixture per cupcake (depending on how soft and soaky you want them).
Refrigerate the cupcakes for about an hour.
In a stand mixer, whip together the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar until it forms stiff peaks.
Frost the cupcakes, garnish with more tutti frutti and serve!
Notes:
Tutti frutti can be found at any local Indian grocery store.
You can use a toothpick to poke holes into the cupcakes as well, that just won’t soak in as much liquid.
The frosting is VERY delicate I suggest frosting the cupcakes RIGHT before serving.
January 3, 2023January 10, 2023 3min readBy Subrina Singh
Curried Chicken with Roti Parata or Roti, popular Middle Eastern/Indian cuisine
It is officially that time of year—the holiday season. There’s nothing like Christmas and New Year’s in the West Indies. Between the pepperpot in Guyana and the palm trees decorated in lights in Trinidad, the home food, warm weather and laid-back ambiance makes us wish we could escape the cold and head back to the Caribbean. Most of us, however, cannot “take holiday” and find ourselves hungry for fresh dhal puri and doubles. But, thanks to these Indo-Caribbean food bloggers, we can bring the motherland to our kitchens.
From Diwali mithai specialties to curry chicken, Matthew is creating a name for himself as a young Guyanese food blogger. He makes a great effort to incorporate Hindu holidays and traditions on his Instagram account, in conjunction with the customary foods and sweets associated with these religious events. However, his expertise does not end there, with new and alternative recipes for classic dishes such as curry chicken and bhara, Matthew takes center stage sharing both traditional Guyanese dishes as well as specific religious dishes made for festivals. His most popular YouTube video, with 1.4 million views, features his grandmother and focuses on the best tips to make the softest Guyanese paratha roti. In addition, his YouTube account is home to many videos offering guidance to Indo Caribbean cooking. Find recipes at @mattews.guyanese.cooking
Natasha Laggan of Trini Cooking with Natasha is wildly popular throughout the Caribbean and the U.S. With humble beginnings, Natasha credits her love of food to her family’s business. She speaks of the nostalgia home food provides her as she reminisces memories of her grandmother’s cooking and helping her mother make sandwiches early in the morning. Featured by Forbes, Natasha grew her Facebook following quickly throughout the pandemic by posting old YouTube videos. Today, she has more than 1 million followers on Facebook and over 200K followers on YouTube. She uses her passion for cooking and Trinidadian culture to bring easy-to-follow recipes to viewers. Her following has now reached the West Indian diaspora globally as she has also become a brand ambassador to two well-known food companies. Follow the food expert @trinicookingwithnatasha.
With over 100K followers on YouTube, Ria is quite the expert when it comes to making roti. Her dhal puri, sada roti and paratha roti tutorials have over 1M views! However, her expertise does not stop there. Of the 180 YouTube tutorials, her recipes vary from curry to other Trinidadian favorites like macaroni pie and pigtail soup. Just scrolling through her YouTube page makes your mouth water. From doubles to classic Trinidad bakes like pound cake and sweet bread, she provides precision and anecdotal commentary while guiding you through the familiarity of home food. Check out Ria’s page at @cookingwithria.
Known as Chef Devan, Devan Rajkumar embraces his Guyanese Canadian heritage by creating recipes combining flavors of both the East and West Indies. His love of food has allowed him to expand his role to judge in a popular Canadian cooking show: Food Network Canada’s Fire Masters. His cooking often blends the flavors of multiple cultures but also creates the classic recipes of his motherland. With a multitude of interests, Chef Dev uses his social media platform to connect with followers by sharing various aspects of his life that go beyond cooking. His most recent YouTube video provides a trailer for an upcoming video “Tastes Guyana” which shows him exploring Guyana from the inside, specifically deep parts of the inner country. To learn more about Chef Devan follow @chefdevan.
Reshmi is the chef behind the growing blog, Taste of Trinbago. A Trinidadian native who now resides in Texas, she uses her love of food and Trinidadian culture to share hacks, tips and easy recipes with West Indians throughout the globe. She finds a way to simplify traditional West Indian meals, that we once watched our elders make with curiosity. From holiday specialties like black cake to Diwali delicacies, Reshmi has brought vegetarian and non-veg recipes to followers in an extremely accessible way. She even posts recipe cards on her IG highlights for followers who may need written instructions. Her IG profile is a mix of various West Indian foods while also sharing bits of her life and even her secrets to baby food. Follow her @tasteoftrinbago.
These are just five Indo Caribbean food bloggers sharing their secrets to easy cooking. The once very daunting recipes and food instructions our parents gave have been simplified by most of these bloggers through video, voice over and modernized recipes. We no longer have to estimate a “dash, pinch or tuk” of any masala. We are just days away from Christmas and this is the perfect time to find the best-suited recipe to make that paratha for Santa.
